Carrier for lipstick device



Nov. 10, 1970 E. e. HULTGREN 3,539,266

CARRIER FOR LIPSTICK DEVICE Filed Sept. 24, 1968 WII VI/WII I,

INVENTOR.

ATTO/QAKEYS United States Patent Olfice US. Cl. 401-78 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carrier for use in a lipstick device for supporting a lipstick for movement in an inner member. The carrier is provided with an anti-wobble band to stabilize the lipstick as it moves to, and is located in, a projecting position on the lipstick device.

Heretofore, the outer end of the carrier, due to variations in dimensions as a result of the manufacturing procedures, had a tendency to be slightly smaller in outside dimensions than the inner member. This was particularly true when the carrier was molded of plastic material. Such discrepancy caused the lipstick to wobble when in projected position. This condition was more pronounced when the carrier had friction projections adjacent the lower end to engage the walls of the inner member to prevent inadvertent movement of the carrier.

The present invention has overcome this disadvantage by providing a thin, broad, annular anti-wobble band on the exterior of the carrier adjacent the outer end to engage the inner member to prevent wobbling of the lipstick in the lipstick device when in projected position. This is particularly effective when the carrier is molded from plastic material and is provided with friction projections adjacent its inner end which would tend to hold the inner end against lateral movement and which would accentuate the lateral movement or Wobble of the upper end of the carrier with the lipstick projecting therefrom.

The band is preferably a broad band to more effectively restrict wobbling of the carrier in projected position of the lipstick and to cooperate with the walls of the inner member to stabilize the carrier during projecting and retracting movement of the carrier in the inner member in use.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the lipstick device with the lipstick in dotted position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the carrier.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the carrier looking from the right of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is atop view of FIG. 2.

As shown in the drawings, the cylindrical carrier is slidably mounted in a tubular inner member 11. The tubular member 11 has longitudinal slots 12 through which the driving pins 13 project into the cam track on a rotatable sleeve 14 and operate to advance and retract the carrier in response to relative rotation of the sleeve and inner member. Adjacent the outer ends of the slots 12 are lateral extensions 12a of the slots into which the pins 13 move to hold the lipstick in projected position 3,539,266 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 against inward longitudinal movement in use. This is conventional lipstick device structure.

The carrier 10 preferably has a closed inner end 10a and has an open outer end 10b to receive and support a lipstick L (shown in dotted lines). As a result of manufacturing procedures, the carrier had a tendency to have a smaller outside diameter at the open end than the inside diameter of the inner member which would cause the lipstick, when in projected position, to wobble. To over come this tendency to wobble, the carrier is provided with a thin, broad, annular anti-wobble band 15 on the exterior of the carrier adjacent the outer end to engage the inner member and substantially eliminate wobble of the lipstick in projected position.

While the tendency for the lipstick to wobble is present in lipsticks having metallic carriers, it is probably more pronounced where the carrier and/or the inner member is molded from a thermoplastic material. It was discovered that the open end of the molded carrier, as it aged, had a tendency to shrink slightly and/or that the split outer end of the inner member had a tendency to spread slightly. The cause for this action is not fully known but it had the result that the wobble of the lipstick, when the carrier is in projected position, became objectionable. This objection has been overcome by the antiwobble band 15.

The wobble was somewhat accentuated when the carrier was provided with friction means 16 on the lower part thereof to prevent inadvertent operation of the device as described and claimed in my US. Pat. No. 3,298,509. These friction means expand and maintain a friction grip on the inner member which would effectively hold the lower end of the carrier from lateral movement.

In order that the relation of parts may be better understood, an example of a carrier is as follows:

The outer diameter of the carrier is .514-521 inch.

The outer diameter of the anti-Wobble band is 522- .524 inch.

The outer diameter of the carrier at the friction means is 528-530 inch.

The width of the band is .170-.180 inch; and

The inner diameter of the inner member is .524.527 inch.

Thus it will be seen that the band is very thin but broad. This band will restrict wobbling of the lipstick in projected position. The band does not interfere with the operation of the lipstick device but rather cooperates with the walls of the inner member to stabilize movement of the carrier between retracted and projected positions of the lipstick.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others,

I claim:

1. A cylindrical lipstick carrier adapted to be slidably mounted in an inner member of a lipstick device and having driving pin means thereon to project through a longitudinal slot in the inner member to move the carrier between retracted and projected positions, said carrier having an outer open end to receive a lipstick and having an anti-wobble band on the exterior of the carrier to project from the outer surface thereof and spaced inwardly of an adjacent said outer open end, said band being continuous and thin radially of the carrier and being wide longitudinally of the carrier to provide a broad surface to engage said inner member to resist lateral movementv of the lipstick in projected position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the carrier has a portion below the driving pin means having a plurality of resilient friction projections to frictionally engage the inner member to prevent inadvertent movement of the carrier in the inner member, the outside diameter of the carrier at the projections being slightly larger than the outside diameter of the anti-wobble band whereby the projections Will be compressed to produce the frictional engagement and said band will prevent wobble of the outer end of the carrier.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the carrier including the pins, friction projections and the antiwobble band are a molded unit of plastic material.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1950 Blake 401-78 6/1958 Lerner 401-78 1/1967 Holtgren 40178 4/1968 Gruska 40l-78 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1953 France. 7/1964 Great Britain.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner 

